NBC SNL Dolby Atmos Mix Room: Acoustic Retrofit & Calibration
Christos “Stos” Tsantilis and his team redesigned and calibrated NBC’s Saturday Night Live Dolby Atmos mix room in preparation for SNL’s 50th anniversary. The project combined custom acoustic treatment, a DSP upgrade, and extensive calibration of the entire monitoring system.
Custom treatment addressed the room with multiple bass traps, reflection-free-zone (RFZ) panels, and diffusers at the front and rear. The existing Meyer Sound DSP was replaced with a Linea Research ASC48.
Calibration extended beyond frequency-response correction. Stos tuned and time-aligned all speakers in the Dolby system, including the subwoofers, and adjusted phase alignment using digital crossovers. The objective was a more consistent, integrated playback system for critical listening and mix decisions.
Before-and-after measurement comparison
The project record includes REW and Smaart testing. According to Stos’s project account, both measurements used the same microphone position, test level, and main front speakers. Post-retrofit verification took place after system tuning.
The supplied measurement report’s early decay time (EDT) row shows the following changes. Times are in seconds; percentages are rounded:
50 Hz: 1.688 → 0.711 seconds — 58% reduction.
63 Hz: 0.854 → 0.512 seconds — 40% reduction.
80 Hz: 0.511 → 0.411 seconds — 20% reduction.
100 Hz: 0.470 → 0.375 seconds — 20% reduction.
125 Hz: 0.445 → 0.491 seconds — 10% increase.
These are frequency-specific EDT results from the documented measurement comparison, rather than a room-wide average or a blanket reduction in reverberation time. The 125 Hz increase is included alongside the reductions. Because the acoustic treatment, DSP, and calibration all changed, the comparison documents the combined retrofit; it does not isolate the contribution of any one change.
Listening and production context
“Mixing has been easier.” — Jay Vicari, SNL Music Mixer
Following the retrofit, SNL50: The Anniversary Special won the 2025 Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special. This award recognizes the production’s sound team; it is included here as subsequent production context, not as evidence that the room retrofit caused the win.
Sources: project scope and test conditions supplied by Christos Tsantilis; EDT values transcribed from page 3 of “test results after tuning 8hmix1 nbc.pdf.” The report also contains frequency-response and clarity screenshots.
Emmy verification: https://www.televisionacademy.com/video/2025-cae-sound-mixing-for-a-variety-series-or-special
For acoustic design, Dolby Atmos system calibration, or a studio retrofit, discuss your project at https://www.mixbystos.com/contact.
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